A Distributed Antenna System (“DAS”) is a network of spatially separated antenna nodes connected to a head-end unit via a transport medium that enables bi-directional communication with wireless devices (such as mobile phones or emergency services radios) within a structure. The DAS system enables communication networks (e.g., mobile phone networks and emergency radio networks) outside the structure to communicate wirelessly within the structure.
When transmitting data from a wireless device to the head-unit using the DAS, at least one antenna node wirelessly receives an electromagnetic signal transmitted from a wireless device using any wireless communication standard known in the art (e.g., 802.11, 3G, UHF, etc.). The received signal is then transmitted to a Remote Unit as an analog/RF signal that includes the data transmitted from the wireless device. The Remote Unit then processes the received signal and transmits the data to a head-unit via a backhaul cabling to the head-unit. The head-unit then relays the information to an external communication network or internally within the same facility to communicate the data to other persons or equipment.
When transmitting data from the external network to the wireless device using the DAS, the head-unit receives the data from external network. The head-unit then relays the information to the Remote Units via the backhaul cabling. The Remote Units receive the data from the head-unit and transmit the data as an analog signal to the antenna nodes. The antenna nodes then propagate the analog signal as electromagnetic wave that is received by the wireless device.